In part one of this series examined two categories of risk factors for running injuries: systemic factors, and running-related factors. In part 2, we will analyze two additional factors: (1) health factors, and (2) lifestyle factors. This information comes from a recent study that analyzed the occurrence of injuries in runners.
Health Factors
Perhaps the most obvious risk factor for running injuries is a history of past injuries. Study after study have found that runners who have suffered an injury in a specific location are at a greater risk to have a future injury in that location. This is especially true for lower extremity injuries (achilles, plantar fasciitis, shin splints, etc.).
It is difficult to know why lower leg injuries re-occur so often in runners. One reason might be because many runners do not understand the need to address muscular imbalances in the lower leg. Committing to an routine that includes such exercises as calf and toe raises, walking on your toes, and walking on your heels can help develop your stability muscles and cut down on the risk of shin, achilles, and other injuries.
One intriguing finding was that runners who had past knee injuries decreased their chances of future knee injuries by increasing their training mileage. The knee was the only part of the body that had less injuries as the weekly mileage increased. One explanation is that running more miles increases the muscles of the knee, which helps prevent knee pain.
Lifestyle Factors
In an interesting finding, the study’s authors discovered that drinking alcohol put runners at risk of incurring blisters and front thigh injuries. Additionally, runners who participated in cycling and gym aerobics had a higher rate of front thigh and hamstring. This is probably related to muscle imbalances caused by these activities, which can strengthen the hamstrings or the quadriceps, but not both muscles. Runners who participate in a lot of cycling, aerobics, or other cross training should make sure that those activities are not creating muscle imbalances.
Conclusion
The main takeaway from this two part series should be that there are definite risk factors for running injuries. Runners that have these factors should pay careful attention to injury prevention: greater age, lower leg length difference, greater height in male runners, drinking alcohol, participation in cycling and aerobics, and a history of past injuries. There was also evidence of increased injuries for: greater training distance per week in male runners (but not knee injuries), participation in races of greater distances, and running on concrete surfaces.
